What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is the fastest growing non–infectious disease in the world and is a serious health condition. If left untreated it can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, amputation and erectile dysfunction. If diagnosed early, diabetes can be effectively managed and the risk of serious health problems greatly reduced.

Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body and comes from carbohydrate foods we eat. Carbohydrate foods include bread, pasta, rice, cereals, fruits, starchy vegetables and milk and yoghurt. The body, breaks carbohydrates down to glucose which then enters the blood stream.

For glucose to enter the cells and be used for energy, a hormone called insulin must be available. Diabetes occurs when the body does not make insulin or when the insulin that is made is not working properly. This leads to increased blood glucose levels and diabetes.

There are two main types of diabetes
Diabetes can occur as two separate conditions – Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1

Type 1 can occur at any age but usually affects children and young people. It accounts for approximately 10%-15% of all cases.

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces no insulin because the cells that make insulin have been destroyed by the immune system. Therefore people with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections to control their blood glucose levels.

Type 2

Type 2 usually affects older people and accounts for 85%-90% of people affected by diabetes. It is a lifestyle disease associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abdominal obesity. A disturbing trend is the lower average age at which Type 2 diabetes is occurring across the entire Australian population. Where previously it was a diseases of older people it is now being reported among a significant number of children under the age of 18 years.

People most at risk of developing type 2 diabetes often have the following risk factors:
• Are over 55 years of age
• Have high blood pressure
• Have heart disease
• Have a family history of diabetes
• Are overweight
• Are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage and are over 35
• Have had diabetes in pregnancy.
• Are of Chinese, Indian or Pacific Islander heritage and over 35.

Management & Treatment

How is diabetes managed?
• Education - finding out as much as you need to know to take responsibility for your health
• Healthy eating
• Regular physical activity
• Medication - tablets and/or insulin injections
• Regular health checks with various members of the diabetes team.

This team can involve many people including the following:
- You
- Your GP
- Diabetes educator
- Endocrinologist
- Dietitian
- Exercise Physiologist
- Podiatrist
- Maintaining a positive mental attitude
- Home monitoring of blood glucose levels

What are the aims of treatment?
The main aim of treating diabetes is to maintain good health for a long life. This is achieved by keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible (4-8mmol/L), blood pressure under 130/85 and total blood cholesterol under 4.0 mmol/L. This will help prevent the short term effects of high and low blood glucose levels and long term complications which can affect the eyes, kidneys and/or nerves.

Diabetes Australia National Website

www.diabetesaustralia.com.au

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